Just Friends?
by the-oncoming-storm-xx
Summary: The story of Hermione's struggles as she realizes her feelings for one of her best friends. I suck at summaries, but the story's not bad! Ginny/Hermione FEMMESLASH. FLUFF. WOOOOO. Possible smut in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any of the characters metioned in this story. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling, whom I do not claim to be.**

**Warning: **** FEMMESLASH. If you don't like that, I wouldn't recommend that you read this. Rated T for now, but there may be smut in later chapters, I haven't decided.**

**A/N:**** So... yeah, my sad attempt at Ginny/Hermione. I'll say it's set when Hermione's in 5th year and Ginny's in 4th, but that doesn't really matter to the story, and none of the events involving Voldemort's return or Umbridge and all that will be mentioned, so a bit AU, I suppose. Also, I know the whole "truth or dare" thing is incredibly cliche, but it seemed like a good way to start this story, so... yeah. Umm... I'm probably forgetting something, but whatever. Enjoy!**

"C'mon, Hermione, it'll take you all of two minutes to do it, while it would take Harry and me twenty."

I sighed. "Ron, if I do your homework for you, you won't learn anything," I explained for what felt like the thousandth time.

"And d'you really think we would learn anything from Divination anyway?" Ron protested.

I bit my lip—he _did_ have me there. Just then, however, the portrait hole swung open, saving me from replying. In walked Ginny Weasley, her fiery red hair wet and plastered to her face.

"H-hey, Gin, where've you been?" asked Harry, obviously trying to sound casual. I rolled my eyes. It was _so_ obvious that he had a crush on her, but Ginny didn't seem to notice, or, for that matter, care. Actually, I wasn't entirely sure if Harry himself had realized his feelings for Ginny yet.

"Well, I spent an hour in the shower trying to scrub the mud off of me after _someone_," — she glared at Harry, who shrunk back, ashamed— "made us have a two-hour Quidditch practice in the rain."

I dismissed the feeling I got when she said "shower", it was probably nothing.

"Do you want to play some Exploding Snap with us?" I asked Ginny, who looked like she really needed to have some fun after the long practice. "After I finish helping these two with their homework, of course," I added begrudgingly.

"You're the best, 'Mione!" Ron said earnestly as he and Harry sandwiched me into a hug.

I sighed and gave them a reluctant smile. "So, Ginny, what d'you say?"

"Exploding Snap is boring, why don't we play something different?" A glint appeared in Ginny's eyes, and the corners of her mouth twitched up into a mischevious smile. "Why don't we play truth or dare!"

"Ooooh, I haven't played that in ages!" I exclaimed, remembering all the Muggle games I had played back in elementary school.

Harry nodded enthusiastically, but Ron just looked confused.

"The hell is that?"

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother's complete lack of Muggle knowledge. "It's a muggle game; Hannah Abbott told me about it."

She explained the rules to Ron, who shrugged indifferently. "Sure, why not?"

"Great!" Ginny chirped cheerfully. "I'll get the Firewhiskey and Veritaserum; you three round up some people to play!"

I gulped "V-Verita-," but she was already out the door. This was going to be very different from the game I had played years ago.

* * *

Half and hour later, and we were all sitting in a circle in the Gryffindor common room. Harry, Ron, and I had managed to round up a pretty large group of people: Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, Katie Bell, Dean Thomas, Cho Chang, Seamus Finnegan, Parvati Patil, Alecia Spinnet, Ernie MacMillan, and Luna Lovegood. Ginny had even wanted to invite some of the Slytherins, but Ron adamantly refused to play if she did.

Ginny, who had just ran in with two bottles of Firewhiskey, a couple vials of Veritaserum, and her shirt half-ripped (I didn't even want to know how _that_ happened) was explaining the rules of the game to everyone.

"... and then you have to take a shot and answer the question, the Veritaserum will stop you from lying."

I marveled at Ginny's fiery spirit as she doled the Firewhiskey, mixed with a drop of Veritaserum, into shotglasses and cast a self-refilling charm on them; she just never seemed to run out of energy.

"So," Ginny was saying with a grin. "Who wants to go first?"

There was an awkward silence as everyone looked around the room. No one spoke for a few seconds, until,

"I'll go," said a dreamy voice. Thirteen heads spun around to looke at Luna Lovegood, a subtle smile playing across her lips.

Ginny clapped her hands together. "Brilliant! Okay, Luna, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Luna answered, taking the shot out of Ginny's outstretched hand and downing it with a slight giggle.

"Alright," said Ginny, pausing to think for a moment. "Umm... okay, who was your first time with?"

A few people made sexual noises, and Lavender and Parvati let out a chorus of "ooooooh"s, but Luna didn't seem fazed. Then again, I suppose nothing really fazed Luna.

"My first time was with Dean Thomas in the broom cupboard on the fourth floor corridor," she said with complete nonchalance.

Dean blushed, and everybody looked shocked. But one person seemed more taken aback by this news than everyone else— Cho let out an affronted shriek and stormed out of the room, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. I couldn't help but notice, however, that as she left, the jealous, pained look in her eyes was focused on Dean, not Luna. I realized that maybe there was more to Cho Chang than I thought there was.

Ginny cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Erm... well... let's just... carry on with the game, then. Luna, you choose who goes next."

"Alright," Luna said with a serene smile. "Ron, truth or dare?"

Ron blushed furiously, and I wondered if Cho wasn't the only one with a bit of a crush on Luna. "Umm... dare!" he said confidently, possibly trying to impress Luna.

"Okay," said Luna. "Show us your best Marwiffle-banishing dance."

"My- Mar- _what_?" he asked incredulously?

I rolled my eyes. "Marwiffles are little fuzzy creatures that are supposedly found on mountain peaks," I said. "They're fangs are said to be deadly. But they're not _real. _Anyway, old legends say that you could vanish them by... umm..." I felt my cheeks flush. "Well, you're supposed to umm... take your clothes off and wave your arms a bit, but it's a stupid legend, really."

Ron's eyes widened. "Are you saying I have to-"

"Strip for us, Weasley!" Seamus finished with a taunting grin.

Ron gulped, before standing up and slowly undressing.

The next five minutes were the strangest of my life. It was all sort of an exposed blur of Firewhiskey, wolf-whistling, and exposed genetalia.

* * *

Half an hour later, we were all drunk off our asses.

"Okay..." giggled Parvati. "Okay, Alecia, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Alecia said with a grin.

"Alright," Parvati said. "Umm... who do you like?"

Everyone was too drunk to realize that this was the most cliche question ever asked in truth or dare.

Alecia downed what must've been her fourth or fifth shot.

"Katie," she said immediately. "Oh— shit! I-"

But whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Katie reaching up and passionately pressing her lips against Alecia's. Alecia looked surprised at first, but after a second, she pressed herself into the kiss with all she had. The entire common room, even those who weren't playing, erupted into cheers.

When they finally broke apart, Katie grinned. "I've wanted nothing more than to hear you say that since the day I met you," she confessed.

With a look of ecstatic serenity on her face, Alecia took Katie's hand and led her up to the dormitories.

The rest of the night went on the same way, until it was Lavender's turn.

"T-truth or dare, Ginny?" she asked drunkenly.

"Dare," Ginny answered, to no one's surprise.

"Okay," said Lavender with a malicious grin. "I dare you to make out with any girl in the room."

And then, before I could even process what was happening, Ginny's lips were pressed against mine. My head was spinning, and, without knowing what I was doing, I kissed her back. I felt like my senses were multiplied by a thousand, and it was more than Firewhiskey could do, and it was perfect, and I just wanted to stay in that moment forever.

But then, that one part of my brain, the logical part that was still sober, realized what was actually happening, and everything else seemed to snap back into focus, and I could hear everyone in the background laughing, clapping, whistling. And I realized that this didn't mean anything. I didn't _want_ it to mean anything, of course; I was straight for Merlin's sake! Wasn't I? Of course I was. And this was just a dare. And, tomorrow morning, I would wake up and I probably wouldn't remember anything.

But right now I had this moment, and I kissed her with all I had, until she finally pulled away.

So the night went on, and no one said anything about it, but there was still something in the back of my brain that said I wouldn't forget this.

* * *

**Alright, I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! It's not my best work, but I really enjoy writing this! I'll try to update at least once a week, but no promises. The rest of the story will of course focus more on Ginny and Hermione, but I think I might write a little bit more about the other characters' relationships; tell me if you want me to in your reviews *cough cough hint hint* ;D Also, constructive criticism is much appreciated, but do try to go easy on me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okayyy, chapter 2! Well, here we are at the usual beginning author's note, where I stall for a few minutes so I don't have to write xD But anyway, thanks a billion to anyone who followed/favorited/reviewed the last chapter; it really means the world to me! Of course, as soon as I published chapter 1, I noticed a million spelling/grammatical errors ._. And, for some reason, I can't seem to type without hitting 'backspace' five times on every word today, so if you notice any more errors, I apologize! Also, I don't think this chapter is going to be particularly exciting, but c'est la vi1. Enjoy! Oh, what do you know, a random plot bunny popped up in my head, and I'm going to write this chapter from Ginny's POV. Okay, now you may proceed with reading and whatnot :D**

OW OW OW! Oh Merlin, my head hurts like hell. What _happened_ last night? All I remember is drunken snippets of laughter, Firewhiskey, and something about my brother, which I'm pretty sure I don't want to remember.

Someone knocked on the door to the dorm. I rolled over in my bed, figuring someone else would let them in. When no one did, however, I checked the time and realized that it was one in the afternoon, which is apparantly later than most non-hungover people wake up.

I sighed, mustering the effort it took to say "come in."

"Chhmiuhhgn."

Well, that was was close enough, I gave it my all, time to get back to sle-

The door creaked open.

"Heyyy, Gin," said a soft, sympathetic voice, that I dimly recognized as Hermione's.

She handed me a vial with some sort of bubbly purple liquid in it. "Drink this, you'll feel much better," she told me.

You'd think that, after last night, I wouldn't willingly drink a suspicious bubbling drink, but, alas, that's me.

I downed the vial in one gulp, gagging like hell. Note to self: not everything that looks like grape soda tastes like it.

Hermione laughed at the face I made.

"Feel any better?" she asked sympathetically.

Now that she mentioned it, I did. I slowly stretched, a tingling feeling spreading to my fingers.

As I slowly regained my right state of mind, Hermione's face came into focus, and memories of last night rushed back to me.

My eyes widened as I remembered what happened. That was the best kiss of my life. But what would 'Mione think? Would she think I was totally insane for kissing her and want to stay away from me? It's not like it _meant_ anything; she knew that, right?

But I had to admit, there was a part of me that wanted it to mean something. A part of me that was larger than I cared to admit, actually. Hermione is... amazing, to put it simply. Who _wouldn't_ be in love with a girl like that? She was beautiful, she was a fucking _genius_, and she was just everything I could ever want. But I can't think like that; it hurts so bad to know that she'll never love me, that all I'll ever be is her friend, her best friend's little sister, and it kills me.

Hermione's brow creased. "What's wrong, Gin?" she asked, still talking as if she was speaking to an injured child.

"Nothing, 'Mione," I assured her, although she still looked a bit worried.

I coughed. "So, um... sorry about... last night," I said with a blush. "I mean, I was _really _drunk, and I mean... I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything, but... yeah."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "I don't remember a thing that happened last night. I guess I can't hold my liquor quite as well as you," she teased.

Her words hit me like a dagger in my heart. She didn't _remember_? I would be able to take it if she started screaming at me or told me she never wanted to see me again. But if she didn't remember, it was like it never even happened. Like I didn't even have that one fading memory of her lips against mine, like it was all just a dream.

I knew then that I had to get out of there. I grabbed my wand, magicked my clothes on, and shoved past Hermione out the door.

"Ginny!" she shouted after me, but I didn't look back. "Ginny, wait! Did I say something? Please don't-"

I heard nothing else, as the portrait hole had just swung closed behind me, leaving a dumbstruck Hermione in the common room. Once I was in the hall, I let the tears stream down my face, not caring about the odd looks I got from the third year Hufflepuffs I ran past.

I knew I had to get some air, so I let my feet carry me outside, my vision blurred with tears.

I finally reached the entrance hall, and I shoved the heavy doors, my breathing heavy. I sat down on the stone steps with my face in my hands, and proceeded to sob with all I had.

I had been sitting out there for about half an hour, when the door creaked open. I didn't even care who it was; why would it matter what anyone thinks, it's not like my misery is bothering them.

I turned up my head in surprise as I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and found myself staring into the round blue eyes of Luna Lovegood.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" she asked dreamily. "Have the Lollywhoops gotten to your heart?"

I almost smiled. "You could say that, I suppose."

She gave an exasperated sigh, as if I was incredibly slow. "Well everyone knows crying won't help that!"

The corners of my mouth twitched up. "And what will, Luna?" I asked.

"Well," she explained. "You have to balance on your hands, and then you have to cast the 'Pilitecio' charm which-"

I silenced her, pulling her into a hug and laughing.

"I suppose that could work, too," she said with a knowing smile, and I had a strange feeling that this was her plan all along.

My laughter turned to hiccups, which of course made me laugh even harder.

She held me for a few minutes, until my hiccups subsided and I was wiping the last of the tears from my eyes.

"I'll leave you a minute to yourself, alright?" she said, pulling her arms away and standing up to enter the castle.

I nodded. "And really, thanks, Luna," I said. "I mean it."

"Of course," she said. "Oh, and, Ginny?"

"Hmm?" I asked.

"If Hermione doesn't realize how amazing you are, that's her fault."

I spun around.

"How did you-?"

But she was already gone.

* * *

**A/N:**** Well o.o That got really angsty really quickly. The rest will be vewwy fluffy, I promise! Also, let me know if Ginny's emotions and whatnot were good. I kind of based her feelings off mine for someone, but I feel like I might've overdramaticized it, and it's probably not gonna flow well and gahh Dx Annnnnywho, REVIEWWW and I'll give you loads of cookies and hugs :3 Also, would you guys like some smut in later chapters? I'm probably gonna put some in, but I want to know how you guys feel about it first. Hope you enjoyed, love you all! ^.^**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**** Hellooo, everyone! Sorry about the long-ish wait for this chapter, I was very busy doing... important stuff, not just listening to Green Day and watching Sherlock, nooooo ._. A huge thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter; sorry if it was too angsty, I made this chapter super fluffy and fun to make up for it :D Enjoy! :)**

I almost ran down the halls, praying that when I got back to the Common Room from dinner she would be there.

"Tweedlebit," I said to the Fat Lady, practically leaping through the portrait hole.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw her sitting in one of the plush armchairs by the fire.

"Ginny!"

She turned around and looked at me. She was smiling, but her eyes were red, like she had been crying, yet somehow she looked... better. Healed.

"Hey, 'Mione," she said, the same serene smile playing across her lips.

"Ginny, what _happened_ earlier?" I asked, remembering the torn look on her face after I told her I didn't remember what happened last night. I felt bad for lying, but I knew that if she thought I remembered that kiss, she might start to think I like her or something crazy like that. I mean, I technically didn't have to kiss her back, but I was caught up in the moment, and it had just felt right. That was all. "If it was something I said, I'm_ so_ sorry, I didn't—"

"It was _nothing_, Hermione," she interrupted.

"_Nothing_‽" I spluttered. "Ginny, you ran off crying and went missing for the whole day; that can't be nothing!"

She sighed. "I was... a little... upset about something," she said, obviously choosing her words carefully. "But I'm over it now; I'm totally fine."

"But what was wrong?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, just let it go."

"But—"

"Hermione," she said. "_Let it go._"

I looked into her eyes, and I saw the pain starting to arise.

I nodded, and we carried on like we do every night, doing homework, talking, playing Gobstones, like nothing had happened.

* * *

At around 10 o' clock my stomach grumbled.

Ginny turned to me with a smile and a slightly mad glint in her eyes. "C'mon," she said. "I'm starving, too; let's go raid the kitchens!"

"But it's after curfew!" I exclaimed. "We could be caught. And besides, think of the house-elves! They—"

"The house elves," she cut in. "_like_ serving people. And we won't get caught if we're careful!"

"I— but we could— I mean..." I faltered.

"Hermione," she said, a fire blazing in her eyes. "Live a little."

I wanted to protest, but I couldn't. There was something in me drawing me toward her, drawing me toward the idea of maybe not just being the annoying prefect who doesn't want to have any fun.

"Okay."

Ginny's face lit up, and I couldn't help but smile myself.

* * *

We ran lightly down the halls, giggling as we did. It was like there was a rush of adrenaline building up inside me. I could kind of see why some people might like doing these kinds of things. It was... exciting. And Ginny made it even more exciting, of course. It was almost like she was trying to see how close we could get to being caught; we had barely been able to escape Professor Flitwick by turning into a corridor a few minutes earlier.

We finally reached the painting of the bowl of fruit, out of breath and collapsing into fits of laughter.

Ginny reached up and tickled the pear, causing it to giggle madly and swing open.

As soon as we entered the kitchen, we were practically bombarded by house elves. Ginny could tell that I wanted to say something and shot me a look that said "Please don't start that now," so I kept my mouth shut.

"Is there anything we can be helping Madams with?" asked one elf with a pointed nose and an unusually squeaky voice.

I noticed that most of the elves seemed to be focusing on Ginny, clearly remembering the last time I had been here, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride mixed with slight guilt.

"Um, yeah," Ginny said with a smile. "We'll take the sugariest stuff you've got."

I almost moaned out loud when half a dozed elves came out carrying a tray laden with cherry turnovers, cheese danishes, and basically anything sweet you could imagine.

"Excellent," Ginny said with a wicked grin, stuffing the pastries into plastic bags so we could carry them back to the common room.

"You're all wonderful," I said as we left. "You should talk to Dumbledore about pay, or maybe—"

Ginny dragged me out of the kitchen before we had time to witness the elves reactions, which, sadly, were probably horrified, because the poor things were in denial about their freedom. They really did deserve happiness, if only they could realize that freedom was the right choice for—

I let out a muffled scream as Ginny put her hand over my mouth and dragged me into a broom cupboard. She put a finger over her lips and slowly removed her hand from my mouth.

"What—?" I whispered.

She slowly pushed the door of the cupboard open a tiny crack, and I saw why she pulled me in here. Standing outside was none other than Severus Snape, his black, beady eyes scanning the corridors for— well, people like us.

Ginny and I locked eyes and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

Her eyes burned intensely, and I felt like she could feel through my soul.

I felt like the tiny, cramped room was spinning around me. I could barely breathe, but something told me it wasn't from the size of the broom cupboard.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" drawled a cold voice.

I jumped, hitting my head on the low ceiling as light flooded the cupboard.

"Professor Snape," Ginny said quickly. "It's not Hermione's fault, I dragged her out here, she told me not to, please don't—"

"I don't want to hear it, Miss Weasley," he said coldly.

"But, sir—"

"I _said_," he spat, his voice sounding more dangerous with each word. "I don't want to hear it. 25 points will be taken from Gryffindor."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest.

"Each," he added. "_And _a week's worth of detention for the both of you."

I could tell Ginny was about to start screaming at Snape, or maybe even cast one of her infamous Bat-Bogey Hexes on him, so I gave her a please-shut-up-now look, which, luckily, made her hold her tongue.

Snape then turned to address me. "Miss Granger," he said slowly, almost condescendingly. "I wouldn't expect this sort of behavior from you. As daft as you may be, you _are_ a prefect, and you shouldn't be _this_ much of a complete idiot.

I hung my head in shame, ignoring the outraged look on Ginny's face. "I'm sorry, sir, it won't happen again," I assured him.

"I should think not," he said icily. "Now I suggest the two of you make your way to your common room, before I decide upon a... harsher form of punishment.

We quickly ran off, not eager to get in any more trouble.

"Hermione, I'm _so _sorry!" Ginny said, looking worried.

I smiled. "Don't be," I said. "I had fun."

She gaped. "_Fun_? Hermione, we got _detention_!"

I shrugged. "One week of detention's not gonna hurt us."

She gave me a look of incredulous awe. "Did_ you_ actually just say that?"

"I guess I did," I said laughing. She joined in, and I started to laugh harder.

"_You_ actually said that," she repeated. We cracked up at the irony, still laughing when we reached the common room.

As our laughter finally died away, we started on the pastries from the kitchen, pigging out until we were the last two people in the common room.

At around 2, I yawned. "Alright, I have to go to bed, and maybe puke my guts out."

Ginny laughed as I took way too many tries to swing my legs over the side of the couch and crawl up to my dormitory.

"G'night, 'Mione," she called behind me.

I smiled. "Night, Gin."

* * *

**Alright, so I really enjoyed writing this chapter! What did you guys think? Let me know in your reviews; it really motivates me to keep writing! This is my first fic to have 3 chapters, and the first to have over 4,000 words (or 3,000, for that matter), so WOO MILESTONE! Alright, I hope you guys liked it! Byyyye! 3**


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